Today's Personal Finance Stories

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CBS.MarketWatch.com

Nothing worse than getting rooked on an investment - and that's just what the 24 most-expensive mutual funds do to their shareholders. A study by Standard & Poor's found the two dozen funds with the highest annual administration costs - 2.99% or more - were among the worst performers. One fund sports a 15.6% annual expense, for a 23% average yearly loss over the last three years! The nerve of these people! They include some relatively respectable fund houses - or so we thought! To see what funds pick shareholders' pockets so unabashedly -- and for stories on blocking junk email and the real estate market's astounding strength this year -- visit today's Personal Finances pages.

Of course, begs the question who's holding these funds?

Chris Pummer, Personal Finance Editor, cpummer@marketwatch.com

Pricey funds sport weakest returns

New York: Some of the worst performing mutual funds are among the most expensive, according to a new study from Standard & Poor's. See full story.

Canning spam

Los Angeles: There's no full-proof way to eliminate junk e-mail, but there are steps that fed-up email recipients can take to reduce the flow of unwanted marketing pitches. Among the most proactive are filtering services that block unwanted and unsolicited e-mail through a variety of methods. See full story.

Half of all online holiday sales made from work

San Francisco: Millions of consumers squeezed for time are stealing moments at work to get holiday shopping done at a faster pace, according to a NetRatings study. See full story.

Real estate hangs tough

Chicago: Of all the sectors of the economy, housing was the most resilient in the face of the turmoil of 2001, aided by the lowest interest rates in more than 30 years. See full story.

Mortgage rates continue to climb

McLean, Va.: Mortgage rates jumped again this week with the 30-year loan hitting a five-month high at an average 7.17 percent, up from 7.09 percent a week earlier. See full story.

Odd Lots: The chic'est shopping area and more

Chicago: New York's East 57th Street is the poshest retail thoroughfare in the world, commanding store rents a third higher than any other international shopping district. See full story.

SEC probes fraud in private investments, hedge funds

Washington: Private investors accustomed to the freewheeling ways of their investing tactics soon may see their joyride come to an end. See full story.

Fund manager takes Russia for a ride

Los Angeles: Russia, one of the few bright spots in the global economic scene, is providing big returns for shareholders in the ING Pilgrim Russia Fund, one of the year's top performing mutual funds. See full story.

Daily Tax Tip

North Palm Beach, Fla: Medical costs seem to go up every year. There is a way to get your Uncle Sam to foot some of the doctor bills, but you need to make sure you know and follow the rules. See full story.

Marshall Loeb's Daily Tip

New York: Bank failures in the U.S. are rare these days, but do occur. Here's how to better insure your money is safe. See full story.

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